Joint assembly, method of manufacture and item including said joint assembly

Abstract

A joint assembly comprises first and second members 2, 16. The first member 2 has opposing first and second surfaces and a protrusion 8 extending from an end. The protrusion 8 has a depth less than a

Claims

1. A joint assembly of fest and second members, said joint comprising a fest member having opposing, fest and second surfaces and at one end, a protrusion, extending from the said end and having a depth less than a distance between said first and second surfaces, and said second member having opposing, first and second surfaces and a recess portion extending inwardly from said second surface towards the first surface and having a depth less than a distance between said first and second surfaces of the said second member, and wherein, the profile of the said recess portion is substantially complementary with the profile of the said protrusion.

2. A joint assembly according to claim 1 wherein when the joint assembly is formed the surface of the recess portion substantially covers the said protrusion and / or the protrusion substantially fills the said recess portion.

3. A joint assembly according to either of the preceding claims wherein the depth of the protrusion is complementary with the depth of the recess portion.

4. A joint assembly according to any of the preceding claims wherein the distances between the first and second surfaces of the respective first and second members are substantially the same such that the first member fest surface is substantially flush with the second member fest surface and the first member second surface is substantially flush with the second member second surface when the joint assembly is formed.

5. A joint assembly according to any of the preceding claims wherein the joint assembly includes securing means to retain the joint in the assembled condition.

6. A joint assembly according to claim 5 wherein the securing means is an adhesive or bonding agent.

7. A joint assembly according to claim 5 wherein the securing means is a mechanical securing means.

8. A joint assembly according to claim 7 wherein the securing means is a member which passes through a channel formed in the second member.

9. A joint assembly according to claim 7 or 8 wherein the securing means passes into a channel formed in the protrusion of the first member.

10. A joint assembly according to any of claims 7 7 wherein the securing means is a dowel.

11. A joint assembly according to any of the preceding claims wherein the joint assembly which is formed has the appearance of any of a 4-way cross joint, 3-way tee joint or a 2-way comer joint.

12. A joint assembly according to any of the preceding claims wherein the protrusion of the first member comprises at least one edge that is inclined at an angle that is substantially 45 or 135 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the member.

13. A joint assembly according to any preceding claim wherein some or all of the internal angle profiles of the protrusion and / or recess are provided with a radius.

14. A method of forming a joint assembly between first and second members, each member including a first surface and a second surface, said method comprising the steps of; forming in the first member a protrusion which extends from an end of the first member and with a depth less than the distance between the first and second surfaces of the first member, forming in the second member a recess portion which extends inwardly from the said second surface towards said first surface and has a depth less than the distance between said first and second surfaces of the second member, and placing the said protrusion into the recess portion and wherein, the profile of the said recess is substantially complementary with the profile of the said protrusion.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein, when the joint assembly is formed, the surface of the recess portion substantially covers the protrusion and / or the protrusion substantially fills said recess portion.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein the method includes a step of securing said first and second members together by using securing means.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein the securing means is an adhesive or bonding agent which is applied to at least one of the surfaces of theprotrusion and / or recess portions which are to be brought together to form the joint assembly.

18. A method according to claim 16 wherein the securing means is a mechanical securing means which is advanced through a channel in one of the first or second members.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein the mechanical securing means is further advanced into a channel formed in the other of the first or second members.

20. A method according to any of claims 14 19 wherein one or both members are manufactured, at least in part, using a CNC machine.

21. A method according to claim 20 wherein some or all of the internal angle profiles of the protrusion and / or recess are provided with a radius.

22. A method according to any of the claims 14 21 wherein the joint which is formed has the appearance of any of a 4-way cross joint, 3-way tee joint or a 2-way corner joint.

23. A method according to any of the claim 14-22 wherein the joint assembly includes a third or further number of members.

24. A method according to any of the claims 20-23 wherein at least two features of the first member are machined, cut or formed, without such member being moved and / or repositioned on the machine.

25. A method according to any of the claims 20-24 wherein at least two features of the second member are machined, cut or formed without such member being moved and / or repositioned on the machine.

26. A method according to any of claims 14 to 25 wherein the protrusion of the first member comprises at least one edge that is inclined at an angle that is substantially 45 or 135 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the member.

27. A kit of parts for forming the said joint assembly and performing a method of forming a joint assembly as herein described with reference to claims 1-26.

28. An item wherein the said item includes one or more joint assemblies as herein described with regard to claims 1-13.

29. An item according to claim 28 wherein the item has a side which is to be presented as an externally visible side and an opposing side which is to be nomvisible and wherein the joint assembly protrusion is viewable but the recess portion is substantially not viewable at the externally visible side.

30. An item according to claim 29 wherein the item includes a substrate or surface onto which the joint assembly is applied or secured such that the said visible side faces away from said substrate or surface.

31. An item according to claim 30 wherein the said substrate or surface is any of an item of furniture, a wall, a door or a window assembly.

Images